Donald Trump Claims He's the 'Healthiest President' in Bombshell Statement

As rumors of his declining health continue to mount, President Donald Trump repeated his claim that his former White House physician, Texas congressman Ronny Jackson (R), declared him the "healthiest" president in history.

At a St. Patrick's Day event on Tuesday, March 17, Trump, 79, said that Jackson told him he was "by far the healthiest" of the former presidents, compared to Barack Obama, 64 and Joe Biden, 83.

Trump has frequently quoted Jackson, who joined the White House Medical Unit in 2006 during George W. Bush’s term, as saying he is the "best physical specimen" and "healthiest president this nation has ever seen.”

“I’ll never forget, they said, ‘Who’s the healthiest president?’ Because he covered Obama. He covered some others — I don’t want to say who. And Trump. He said ‘By far, Trump. There’s nobody even close,'” Trump said in a St. Paddy’s Day non-sequitur.

Jackson served as President Obama’s White House doctor until Obama nominated him to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs in his first term. Still, scandals plagued the nomination, and Jackson eventually rescinded it.

Jackson earned the nickname "Candyman" during his time in the White House due to allegations of handing out prescription medications freely and without proper records.

“The allegations against me are completely false and fabricated,” Jackson said at the time, before withdrawing his nomination.

During a famous 2018 briefing, Jackson praised Trump's "incredible genes" and suggested he could live to be 200 years old with a better diet. He also reported that the POTUS scored a perfect 30/30 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).

With Trump’s backing, the embattled doctor was elected to the House of Representatives in 2020.

Jackson's reputation has been marred by a 2021 Department of Defense Inspector General report that found he engaged in "inappropriate conduct," including drinking on the job and mistreating subordinates.

He was later demoted in rank by the Navy following these findings until the Secretary of the Navy restored his rank of Rear Admiral in June 2025.

While Trump continues to use Jackson as a "living certificate" of his vitality, critics and medical experts often point to these scandals and the "Candyman" nickname to question the objectivity of Jackson's glowing health reports.

“Whenever I have a problem, I call Doc Ronnie, and he works it out. He’s a great guy,” Trump said on Tuesday.

Despite White House statements claiming "exceptional health," concerns persist over the president’s lack of stamina, use of blood thinners, age-related cognitive changes and apparent decline.